Ratae Corieltauvorum - Possible Roman Fort

Possible Roman Fort

One of the enigmas of Ratae's early development was whether or not there was ever a garrison stationed in the vicinity of the river. The location on a river crossing on a strategic road and near a settlement, would have been an ideal place for a fort. As yet, however, the evidence for the presence of a fort is unclear. The only evidence we have is based on the discovery of a single 'V-shaped' ditch, with a drainage slot at the bottom, which was found on the island between the two river channels. This ditch is similar in form to a type of military ditch known as a punic ditch, with one side steeper than the other and a drainage slot at the bottom, but to date there is no evidence that this supposed 'fort' ever had an interior.

Although the suggestion, made by Wacher amongst others, that a Roman fort was established between two arms of the Soar around AD 50 cannot be ruled out., the identification of the ditch with a fort has never been substantiated. If there ever was a Roman military establishment at Leicester in the First century AD it may perhaps have been located elsewhere, maybe on the Eastern bank of the Soar where the Roman city later developed.